Eyesore on Broadway could see construction in fall

Two images of 1221 Broadway are from the perspective of the River Walk extension.

(Current photo by Creighton Welch/E-N. Rendering courtesy Ed Cross.)

Those enormous shells of buildings at 1221 Broadway at U.S. 281 could actually start to become something in October via developer Ed Cross, through his Colina del Rio LP partnership.

For years, Cross has been in litigation with the project’s former developer George Geis. You can find the details of the legal wrangling in today’s Express-News article written by Sir Creighton Welch.

Cross now has the property. He just needs the money to turn those buildings into residential and retail space. He’s turned to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department for financing, and that process has been under way.

The property rests right on the River Walk expansion and is within the boundaries of River North, the area targeted for revitalization.

According to today’s article, the project has “sat virtually untouched since October 2004.”

While the architecture of Cross’ recently-completed Vistana, the 14-story apartment building on West Houston St. and North Santa Rosa Ave., is art deco-inspired, he’s aiming for an “all new skin. . . industrial, urban loft-type buildings,” he said.

Two weeks ago, Cross took Mr. Welch and I on a tour of 1221 and Colina del Rio’s other properties in the same area. It seems like most of the properties in River North are either owned by Cross and Geis. Cross said he’s done acquiring property. It’s time to concentrate on making River North happen.

“We’ve really bought all the land we’re going to buy,” Cross said. “My goal has been to start on a project every year.